85R259 MTB-D

By: Biedermann H.B. No. 2137

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to an interstate compact on border security, immigration enforcement, and refugee resettlement.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Title 7, Government Code, is amended by adding Chapter 793 to read as follows:

CHAPTER 793. INTERSTATE COMPACT FOR BORDER SECURITY, IMMIGRATION

ENFORCEMENT, AND REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT

Sec. 793.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "illegal alien" means a person who:

(1) is not a citizen or national of the United States; and

(2) is unlawfully present in the United States according to the terms of 8 U.S.C. Section 1101 et seq.

Sec. 793.002. AUTHORITY TO EXECUTE INTERSTATE COMPACT. On behalf of this state, the governor shall:

(1) coordinate, develop, and execute an interstate compact for border security among interested states; and

(2) seek the approval of the United States Congress for the compact.

Sec. 793.003. INTERSTATE COMPACT PROVISIONS. The compact required by this chapter must provide for joint action among compacting states on matters that include:

(1) the operational control of this state's border with Mexico by the total detection and apprehension or deflection of illegal aliens attempting to cross the border into this state;

(2) other enforcement of federal immigration laws, including detecting, apprehending, detaining, prosecuting, releasing, and monitoring of illegal aliens;

(3) notification from the federal government at least 30 days before the date refugees are resettled in a compacting state, including access by a compacting state to vetting information, security screening, in-person interviews, and health assessments of refugees;

(4) establishment of a compacting state's right to refuse a refugee offered by the federal government for resettlement in the state;

(5) establishment of a refugee resettlement tracking program among compacting states that:

(A) collects information on resettled refugees, including the refugees' country of origin, historical and family information, crime history, entry routes, fingerprints, and DNA samples; and

(B) contains the information collected by screening processes before refugees arrive in the compacting state;

(6) establishment of the compacting state's authority to revoke refugee status for a refugee convicted of a felony and, after the appropriate sentence is served, hold the former refugee for immediate return to the former refugee's country of origin;

(7) establishment of a comprehensive assimilation education program that tracks the assimilation of refugees in accordance with United States laws, history, and culture;

(8) abolishment of the private agencies, operations, and authorities in the compacting states performing refugee resettlement functions and reapportionment of the federal contract funds provided to those entities to the compacting states assuming those functions; and

(9) establishment of standing for any legal action or brief submitted to a federal court demanding injunctive relief from federal executive orders that are not in the best interests of the compacting states.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2017.